Escalating Violence: Israel Detains Palestinian Women, Conducts Deadly Raids in West Bank and Gaza

The Israeli army has intensified its detentions of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including 20 Palestinian women, as popular anger over its deadly airstrikes on Gaza continues. The crackdown brings the number of Palestinian female prisoners in Israel to over 60. The detentions are seen as part of a campaign of deterrence and intimidation, aimed at removing influential feminist activists from the West Bank. The increasing number of female prisoners may also be used as a bargaining chip in future negotiations with Hamas, which currently holds over 200 captives.